Not sure what to do.... but I fear the FJR is out the door

[JamesW]

I have seen a sport medicine doctor for my knee and right (arthritic) hip, good people.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Sell it and go back to the Valkrie, or better yet a F6B.

That may be the best suggestion of all. Some bikes are not compatible with some people. Or the other way around.

I would certainly not keep throwing away money and time on something that made me as uncomfortable as what you are reporting.

Which reminds me... I wonder what a decent divorce lawyer would charge?

 

[DocFJR]

This may not be about the bike, but may be only about you. Could you go back to the V-Rod or Valk at this time and ride pain-free?

It might be worth checking Big Sky's suggestion. We're all getting older (except me), so maybe your discomfort is something that would be true regardless of bike. If a long ride on different bike leaves you in similar shape, you could address the issue in other ways and might not need to lose the bike.

 

[Greenham]

This may not be about the bike, but may be only about you. Could you go back to the V-Rod or Valk at this time and ride pain-free?

It might be worth checking Big Sky's suggestion. We're all getting older (except me), so maybe your discomfort is something that would be true regardless of bike. If a long ride on different bike leaves you in similar shape, you could address the issue in other ways and might not need to lose the bike.

In and of itself that is a good idea except I actually sold the Vrod to buy the FJR having ridden the Vrod on similar and even longer trips without the same issues.. I will try a few of these suggestions, but I am pretty sure it's a FJR riding position problem for me... I like the idea of trying to better condition myself for the upright position as opposed to the laid back cruiser position of the previous bikes..

 

[FJR-Pilot]

When I do very long days on my FJR I have a great deal of pain in a very small area in my upper back/lower neck. To alleviate the pain while riding I use the master yoda position but quite frankly it only provides temporary relief as I cannot ride that way all day. The pain gets so bad that if I do a 7 to 10 day ride - after I get home - my upper back/lower neck area not only hurts like hell but the skin is actually numb for about 2 weeks in that area. The numbness and pain eventually goes away and returns to normal.

 

[Greenham]

When I do very long days on my FJR I have a great deal of pain in a very small area in my upper back/lower neck. To alleviate the pain while riding I use the master yoda position but quite frankly it only provides temporary relief as I cannot ride that way all day. The pain gets so bad that if I do a 7 to 10 day ride - after I get home - my upper back/lower neck area not only hurts like hell but the skin is actually numb for about 2 weeks in that area. The numbness and pain eventually goes away and returns to normal.

You might be crazier then I am

If I can't get this solved there is no way I could ride 7-10 days if the pain was this intense.... It just seems that with SO MANY Iron Butt riders choosing this bike to ride a 1000 miles in 24 hrs, I am missing something they know. Unless all IB riders are 5'8" tall with perfect physiques this can be solved...

 

[FJR-Pilot]

When I do very long days on my FJR I have a great deal of pain in a very small area in my upper back/lower neck. To alleviate the pain while riding I use the master yoda position but quite frankly it only provides temporary relief as I cannot ride that way all day. The pain gets so bad that if I do a 7 to 10 day ride - after I get home - my upper back/lower neck area not only hurts like hell but the skin is actually numb for about 2 weeks in that area. The numbness and pain eventually goes away and returns to normal.

You might be crazier then I am

If I can't get this solved there is no way I could ride 7-10 days if the pain was this intense.... It just seems that with SO MANY Iron Butt riders choosing this bike to ride a 1000 miles in 24 hrs, I am missing something they know. Unless all IB riders are 5'8" tall with perfect physiques this can be solved...

LOL. Yes. I'm a bit crazy. Ibuprofen makes it all better for me. But I LOVE RIDING! so I plow through it.

 

[Bellerophon]

One of the first things I did with my '08 was add a helibar triple clamp and a vstream higher windshield because I thought I needed a more upright riding position, and a higher shield to block more wind. That was when I was a young man in my mid 50s.

I am older and wiser now and I am leaving my '16 untouched, factory bar height, factory wind screen. A little bit of a forward lean makes the bike feel sportier, and being in the wind a little bit reminds me I'm on my bike, not a cage.

 

[AdamK]

I am older and wiser now and I am leaving my '16 untouched, factory bar height, factory wind screen.

Although I haven't ridden the new bike more than 100 miles in one sitting, I'm finding the stock bars pretty comfortable. I'll give it a longer test this Friday.

But I am finding the stock windscreen a bit lacking. I have a Cee Bailey which just arrived. I'll give it a shot later.

 

[Baggerbreeze]

Take your bike to your local Chiropractor. Have him/her come out and evaluate your sitting position. While you sit in your normal riding stance. This is easily done with the bike on the center stand. Follow thier recommendation. There is what is known as neutral sitting position. (Equal weight on contact points). It sounds crazy, but it works.

 

[gbelleville]

It could also be the different vibration frequency of the FJR... I mentioned riding to my chiropractor once, and he said many people don't realize that the vibration of the bike along with the riding position can cause things to show up. The two other bikes are not just different positions, but different vibration as well. Just a thought.....

 

[NMRoadRunner]

The FJR isn't for everybody.

 

[Bellerophon]

If you think that's bad, this 60 year old fat boy took an R6 for a ride today. The CIA should use 50 miles on an R6 instead of waterboarding on terrorists.

 

[allrider]

Go see a chiropractor and think about how you sit at home, at the desk, computer and so on. I had an issue with my left shoulder and it was because of the way i sat at my desk at the computer. It started to bother me when i slept and i would be sore in the morning. Changed a few things like keyboard arm rest heights at the desk and pay more attention to my posture now. Much better now.

 

[BanjoBoy]

Or, this?

The FJR isn't for everybody.